Random Dragon Age OneOffs
by Ursula Cousland
Summary: Prompt fills and one-shots, mostly for the Bioware Social Network. Some feature Aniya and Fenris but may not necessarily get incorporated into Common Ground. As always, I gain nothing but writing experience from these. :
1. Memory, Take I

**1. Marshmallow.****  
><strong>**2. Memory.****  
><strong>**3. Leaves.****  
><strong>**4. Ale.****  
><strong>**5. Vault**

**Prompt: Memory**

_An obscure inn in one of the cities of the Free Marches_

_9:37 Dragon _

Fenris closed the copy of _The Tales of the Black Fox_ that he'd borrowed from Aniya. She was right; he had enjoyed. It. "It's been one of my favorites for a very long time," she'd said, right after he'd nearly put it back. It was the only book she'd every even remotely hesitated to loan him.

He was glad, not for the first time, she'd suggested teaching him to read and write, even though at the time it had made him acutely uncomfortable. It took his mind off the incessant waiting for information or, now, waiting to see if Varania would even respond to his first attempt at contacting her. It was also, after one of the more frustrating early 'lessons' where he'd been bested by an advanced child's primer, when he'd discovered that Hawke viewed him as far more than a useful ally.

He'd paced back and forth in her library and ranted angrily about not seeing the point, and why she was even bothering to waste her time teaching a slave how to read. She'd tolerated his rant up until that point, and let him vent, but the second he'd said _that_, she'd set the primer down on the table so hard it made the glasses jump.

"All right, that's _enough_!" As he took a breath to retort, she continued. "Shut it and listen to me. _You're. Not. A. Slave. Anymore._ I can't imagine what that was like, but the sooner you get it through your thick skull that you _aren't_, the sooner you can start trying to live like it."

He started to retort about her thinking him stupid, but she cut him off.

"_I'm_ _not done. No,_ I_ don't_ think you're stupid. Far from it, and you've proven me right about that multiple times. This isn't a waste of time unless _you_ think it is. _I_ think one day you'll thank me." She took a deep breath and calmed herself, then continued, as he stared at her in stunned silence. "Besides," she commented dryly, "it might give you something to do besides sit around at night and brood about being a slave when you aren't."

Now he had a chance to get a word in – and found that she'd defused his anger as easily as she disarmed most traps. "I don't brood! And why would you think I…" He sighed and sat back down. "…might need that?" Drily, he muttered, "I walked right into that."

Aniya was trying not to grin but failing. "Yes, you did. " Then, she turned serious. "Look, I don't think this is a waste of time, but if you really don't want to do this – "

"No." What she was really saying was still sinking in, and he was too surprised, and too flattered, to be angry now. "I apologize."

He started to reach for the primer, but she set her hand down on it thoughtfully.

"Let's look at this another way. I love to read. Let me explain why." She folded her hands and sat back more comfortably. "Then, you can tell me what you think."

"One of my first memories of my father of him reading. He used to read to me when I little, especially when I was sick or had nightmares. When Mother found she was with child again, he started to teach me to read too. Still, when I had nightmares, or sometimes just because we could, we'd read to each other, and even read like we were the characters. It was usually pretty silly, and always fun. " She smiled. "The best memory I have of him is falling asleep to the sound of his voice. When I read now, I can still hear it."

That last was said in a quieter voice, and he was startled to see the usually brash mercenary on the edge of tears. When she realized he'd seen it, she waved a hand and made a face. "I didn't mean to get all misty on you. I'm sorry."

"No. I can see why you feel the way you do. It makes sense."

"That's the thing about memories, Fenris. Even they have a price. They can be beautiful, and very real, but they can also remind you of what you've lost."

_A week or so later, with the help of a significant amount of wine, he'd summoned the courage to tell her of the Fog Warriors. _

As he finished rethinking that conversation in his head, his hand moved over the cover of the book he'd borrowed. It was _old_. Its cover had been torn and repaired multiple times, and the binding lovingly re-stitched at least once. He flipped it back open to realize that some of the pages had even been painstakingly re-lettered, in handwriting he now recognized as Aniya's.

"It's been one of my favorites for a very long time…"

He suddenly understood the significance of the most battered book in Aniya's library. He tucked it carefully back into his pack, hoping to return it to her without a need for further repairs.


	2. Memory, Take II

**Prompt: Memory (Take 2)**

The door to Anders' clinic was not a typical place to see Hawke, Fenris, and Varric waiting, but the circumstances were also unusual. Varric was just being Varric; he had encountered Hawke, Fenris, and Anders taking Isabela to the clinic and followed along. This unlikely crew, with Isabela sporting a spectacular black eye and swollen cheek, was far too tempting for Varric to ignore.

"So, Hawke, Elf, there's a story here. What's going on?"

Fenris grinned at Hawke, because he _knew_ the story and was still enjoying the fact that she'd felt _that _strongly. Even if it meant Aniya felt vaguely guilty, he was still so relieved that they'd reconciled that the whole incident satisfied him far more than it should have. Isabela's attempt to let Castillon's slaving operation continue in exchange for a new ship didn't exactly keep some satisfaction of his own out of this, either.

Hawke's face was a story in conflicting emotions as she considered Varric's question. She looked a little embarrassed, but there was also aggrieved satisfaction and some of her fierce pride as well. She fixed Varric with a pointed look. She was blushing fiercely.

"I'll tell you because I want you to have my version before you have Isabela's. Maker only knows what _she'll _tell you. And if this ends up in something like _Hard in Hightown_, you're next." She narrowed her eyes at him, and Varric gave her a bland look. "Madame, you wound me!"

"I _will_…"

* * *

><p>"Haven't you ever wanted to hit me, even a little?"<p>

"_Yes!"_ Anders and Fenris had said in unison.

Isabella laughed. "Wow, you two can agree on something!" Then she turned back to Aniya. "He _has_ to believe you, or this whole thing is worthless and Castillon will bail."

Hawke nodded grimly, as she proceeded forward to knock assertively on the door.

Despite what Isabela had warned all of them, both Fenris and Anders were lingering close enough to the door to follow what was happening in case they needed to intervene. Fenris was following part of the act. He shook his head, and muttered, "They won't buy it, Hawke…"

Then, Isabela had thrown their former rivalry in Aniya's face and boasted of her flirtation with Fenris three years ago. Nothing had come of it, and Aniya knew that, but he guessed her gut reaction.

_Never mind._

He was right. He heard Aniya's hissed curse, and the ringing _crack_ of fist meeting face was unmistakable, as was the thud of a body hitting the floor. Anders heard it too, and he winced."That'll leave a mark," he muttered.

When they'd dragged Isabela out of the room, she was still out cold, and developing a spectacular black eye. Fenris was reminded of Aveline's claim that Hawke had dropped a Qunari with one punch once. He'd been dubious, but now he _completely_ believed it.

Later, after Hawke had refused to let Isabela bribe Castillion, Isabela had made quite a sight tearing into Hawke with that black eye and a clear mark of the Hawke signet on her face.

* * *

><p>"And then she tried to bribe Castillion with the chance to run his slaving operation just to get a ship? What was she <em>thinking<em>?" Varric shook his head. "I'm not sure I believe…ok, yes I do." He shook his head. "And why wasn't _I_ invited to that little party?"

Hawke drew a breath to answer, but the clinic door opened and Isabela emerged, her beautiful face restored to normalcy. She went straight to Hawke and addressed her with firm, if vaguely chastened, conviction.

"The Hanged Man. Later. We need to talk." As Aniya took a breath, she continued. "And don't you _dare_ apologize."

Isabela then peered at Fenris and Varric. "What are you two looking at?"


	3. The Amell Line

_The Restored Amell Estate_

_9:34 Dragon_

_I remember once telling Gamlen that my greatest concern should be finding Aniya and Bethany suitable husbands. _

Leandra sighed. With Bethany and Carver both gone now, and their nobility restored, she _had_ to find someone for Aniya. Now that she could try to do some matchmaking for her eldest, though, she was never available. Either one of her friends needed help with something, or thugs were running in the streets, or she was cleaning up some mess or other in that mine she apparently partially owned.

_She doesn't need to do all that anymore. I could have introduced her to half a dozen eligible nobles or noble sons by now, maybe even the Seneschal's son. He's supposed to be quite sought after and has his father's looks. I used to _love_ meeting new suitors through all of our friends._

_I'll say something to her when she wakes. _Aniya had been out until very late gain last night, according to Bodhan, 'cleaning up the streets' with Aveline, the smooth-talking dwarf, and that elf, apparently. Leandra sighed again.

* * *

><p>Fenris chuckled to himself. Bodhan had finally stopped trying to fuss over him and left him in peace to hunt for something else to read. He was to the point where it was a matter of just reading more to improve, and he found that he did enjoy it, as Aniya had guessed. They usually walked to the Hanged Man together for the card games, so Bodhan wasn't shocked to see him, but today he'd come here early. Whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not, finding something else to read was a pretext. It was with vague relief that he'd admitted to himself he wanted to spend more time in Aniya's company. Usually, she would have already been here too, but she was apparently still getting ready. That was surprising; she typically didn't take this long.<p>

And then, he heard her raised voice, although he couldn't make out what was said. Another voice, her mother's, wasn't raised as much, but then, he heard a door open, and he heard the next thing Aniya said very clearly. She was furious.

"Mother, this conversation is _over_. In case you forgot, I had reached my majority when I left for the army. This is my business and I will decide it for myself, _thank you._"

"Sweetheart, I'm just pointing out that you don't have forever, and it's up to you to carry on the Amell line – "

"_OH! _I see how _this_ is. Having your husband chosen wasn't good enough for you, but it's good enough for _ME?_" Outrage, sarcasm, and anger warred in Aniya's voice now. "I'm sure Father would have _loved_ that!"

"ANIYA! How _dare_ you?"

At this point, Fenris fervently wished he could disappear into the floor. He knew he was going to be scarlet with embarrassment shortly if he wasn't already.

_Perhaps this is a good time to excuse myself._

He decided to try to do so before either of the women came downstairs and noticed him. He didn't hear anything else that was said; he was intentionally trying not to. He slipped from the library, past Sandal's enchanting device, and made for the foyer. He hadn't counted on Sarge; the mabari had been asleep but was apparently awakened by his mistress's voice. He barked happily at Fenris from in front of the fireplace.

_Venhedis._

He kept going, and let himself out, as Sarge whined in confusion.

* * *

><p>Aniya caught the flash of motion out of the corner of her eye as Sarge barked a greeting to…<p>

_Oh, shit._

Her face went so red that her tattoos were practically invisible. She turned back to Leandra, who had also apparently seen him.

"Aniya, he's an _elf_, and an escaped slave at that. Do you _really_ think there's a future there? You have to consider what's best for you and for the Amell line!"

Aniya advanced a step toward her mother and struggled to control her temper. She took a breath, stopped herself, and then spoke. "I'm going to say this one more time, and this is the _last_ time I'll discuss it, Mother. When it comes to giving my heart, I _am_ considering what's best for me. Maker forbid I want to decide something this important myself. I expect you, of all people, to understand that."

"Sweetheart, I wasn't the only remaining child." As soon as Leandra said it, she felt dread. She could hear her _own_ mother's voice suddenly, bleak and cold: _It's her life; let her ruin it._

_What am I _doing?Leandra thought in horror.

Aniya's spine went straight as her mother wrestled with herself. The younger woman wheeled sharply at the top of the stairs, and the pain in Aniya's voice was clear.

"And even if you _had_ been, would you have still married Father?"

Leandra went pale, and suddenly, her eyes filled with tears.

Aniya nodded. "I thought so. Good night, Mother." She inclined her head stiffly, and turned to leave.

"Aniya. I'm _so_ sorry…" Leandra's voice came out in a choked, sorrowful whisper.

There was no answer. She was speaking to an empty hallway.

* * *

><p>Aniya cursed to herself, wondering where Fenris would have gone. She was startled to find him in the courtyard in front of the Amell estate entrance. She approached him cautiously, and her voice was worried.<p>

"How much of that did you overhear?"

"Enough." His voice was carefully neutral.

Aniya swore in what he thought was Dwarven. "From the sound of that, you probably _didn't_, at least not enough for context. I have some explaining to do, but let's get away from here. I suspect Mother might overhear us, and I do _not_ want to discuss things with her again."

They walked for a few moments before Aniya suggested they discuss things at Fenris' mansion. She pointed out that this wasn't exactly an open-air conversation, and Fenris agreed. When they got there, neither really settled to a seat. Fenris paced; Aniya was trying desperately not to, even though her body cried out to do so. She cleared her throat awkwardly.

"I'm really sorry you had to hear that. I don't know what possessed her – " Fenris cut her off.

"You _knew_ this had to come up sooner or later." Aniya looked baffled at the anger in his voice. "Yet you persist in flattering me. Had I realized what you were playing at – "

Aniya stared at him, and the stare became a glare. "_What?"_

"You _are _required to follow your mother's wishes in arranging your marriage, are you not?"

"_No!_ I'm her daughter, Fenris, not her property – " Aniya's eyes went wide then, though her voice lost nothing of its tension. "Wait. Is _that_ what you thought? That I have no say in the matter?"

"Are children not bound to follow their parents' desires in these matters?"

Aniya started to say something, then stopped pacing and sat down. She seemed _less_ angry, as if something had occurred to her.

_Remember who you're dealing with. _

"To answer your question, no, I'm _not_. Not that way. In Ferelden, I was considered an adult at seventeen. In Kirkwall, it's eighteen. Regardless, I was an adult legally by the time we even got here. My mother can recommend, plot, and lecture all she likes, but she can't _force_ me to do a damn thing."

"But you are nobility now, are you not? Does that not enter into it?" Fenris continued to pace. In truth, he was trying to suppress any premature hopes he might have had, but the idea of Aniya forced to be with anyone else made him surprisingly angry.

"Absolutely not. If I'm old enough to legally inherit my mother's estate in my own right, which I am, and there's no betrothal contract from before my majority, which there isn't, I'm entitled to make my own decisions."

"And continuing your line? Surely _that_ is required?"

Aniya stared at him, clearly not expecting such a direct observation. Then, uncharacteristically, she looked down and studied her hands carefully.

"If my line, be it Hawke or Amell, is depending solely on _me_ to continue it, then it is already lost. I could not continue it even if I wanted to."

Fenris turned and frowned at her in confusion. Aniya continued to study her hands.

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Aniya nodded, but the words came out in a rush and her face went crimson again. "Yes. I'm barren. And no one else _still living_ knows that, by the way, so I'd appreciate your discretion. To answer your larger question, the point about continuing the line is completely moot, and therefore not one I have to consider."

"Your mother does not _know?"_ The implications began to sink in. "Why have you not told her?"

"I was going to tell her when she started thinking out loud about finding husbands for Bethany and me once our estate was restored. Beth knew I was, but we were pretty sure she didn't share my condition. And the idea gave Mother something pleasant to distract her from how miserable she was. Then Bethany…" Aniya sighed and shrugged. "I haven't found the courage to tell her."

"Shouldn't you?"

Aniya glanced up at him, looking guilty.

"Yes, but I also know it will break her heart when I do. That's the only aspect of this that does still trouble me. She desperately wants one of the very few things I can't do for her."

"How long have _you_ known? It sounds like you have known for some time." Fenris stopped pacing, but he pressed the point, mostly out of stunned shock and morbid fascination.

Aniya flinched, then dropped her head to her hands, then rested her chin on them.

_Damn you for letting me underestimate your perception, Fenris. _When she answered, her voice was barely a whisper.

"I've known since about year before Ostagar. I was…involved with someone, and wanted to get help to prevent that very thing from happening. I'll spare you the details, but the Circle healer who saw me found something very wrong. She said that even if I did manage to get with child, I wouldn't be able to carry it long enough, and trying to do so would kill the child for certain and likely me as well. She said the safest thing for me to do would be to either never _be_ with a man again, or have her stop me from being able to bear children at all. I chose the latter. I decided it was better to have a _chance_ at being happy, if I could find someone who was willing to accept me knowing I was barren. The last thing I wanted to do was guarantee I was going to be alone."

Fenris sat down. He lacked the words. It was already clear that even being born into freedom and a 'normal' human family wasn't proof against tragedy, but _this?_

_I cannot imagine… _

It might be unfair, but in the cultures _he_ knew best, most of the value women had, even the mages, was as potential mothers. It wasn't that way in Ferelden, he was learning, but still -

_To lose that…to have to decide… _Suddenly, he grieved for her.

Aniya's thoughts were a whirl of emotion as well.

_Idiot! Why am I even _telling_ him all of this? It's not his business. And, it's not as if having anything beyond a friendship with him could get any _less_ complicated. There goes _that_ idea. _

For a moment, she was struck with sorrow. Then, she realized what he'd actually _said_ when they first got here, before she'd rashly run on and revealed far more of her personal life than she should. She rounded on Fenris, frustrated, and interrupted his thoughts.

"Do you _really_ think I would be insincere about being _interested_ in you? Have I _ever_ been anything less than _truthful_ with you about _anything_?"

Fenris sat back, eyes wide with surprise. Then, his own frustration returned.

"Is there no one else who has already attracted your attention? Surely there _is_." He said it harshly, perhaps more so than was strictly necessary, but part of him didn't even think Aniya would have any real interest in him beyond as a friend or perhaps, at best, a conquest. That illusion was dispelled quickly.

"If someone _had_, we wouldn't be having this conversation, I _assure_ you! Especially after what I just told you!" Aniya rubbed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, deeply embarrassed, and grumbled a potent Rivaini curse they'd both heard Isabela use. Fenris sighed.

"Leave that aside for a moment. There are even more fundamental things to consider." At her startled look, he continued. "I'm an elf, an escaped slave, living in a borrowed mansion. _That doesn't bother you_?"

Aniya sat straight up, looking confused. Then, she raised an eyebrow.

"No! _Should_ it? I'll point out that I'm a human and a refugee; a _Ferelden_ _refugee_ at that, along with my _other_ flaw that you now know. None of _that _bothers _you?_" She imitated a Kirkwaller's eye roll and accented complaint about Fereldens expertly, but the look she gave him afterward was intent.

"Ah…you have me there." Fenris commented dryly. "Honestly, what you just told me might actually simplify things." Aniya looked suspicious at that, at first, but then her expression relaxed and she actually smiled a little. The tension in her body eased somewhat.

She considered the implications of some of his earlier comments. _Maybe this won't be as bad as I feared._

"Wait – wait a minute. Are you actually saying you've _entertained_ the idea, Fenris?" Aniya met his eyes squarely, and was struck yet again by how incredible those eyes were.

_Maker…I could stare at his eyes all day._

"You're offended?"

"_No! _I'm … relieved, actually." Aniya let out the breath she'd been holding and smiled at him, a smile that lit her dark brown eyes as well. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intensely attracted to you, Fenris."

Fenris returned her smile for a brief instant, and then his face fell.

"All of those concerns are valid ones, though, and that's not everything. Wanting to consider –" he coughed, "_us_ - doesn't change any of that." _And it risks damaging the relationship I've come to rely on more than any other since I arrived here. _He hoped he wasn't showing the sudden anxiety he felt.

Aniya looked concerned. After a pause, she said, "You're right, and if that makes you uncomfortable, I can live with that. You…mean a great deal to me, Fenris. The last thing I want to do is alienate you by pressuring you."

_You aren't making this any easier, though, _Fenris observed to himself. _Of course, some of this is my own fault. _

"I…it isn't that. You're a beautiful woman, Hawke, and a very tempting one. " If eyes could smolder, his did. Aniya felt her breath quicken. "The idea of being with _anyone_ gives me pause. You know that. But I respect you greatly, and you tempt me regardless."

Aniya blushed slightly but didn't avert her eyes, and slowly nodded. "I – thank you." She paused, and then continued. "I told you I don't consider falling into bed with just anyone. Honestly, you know me better than anyone in Kirkwall or anywhere. You're _there_ for me even when no one else is. Maker knows we challenge each other, and yet you accept me anyway. I admire courage, strength, and intelligence. You have all of those. I trust you with my life. I'm not _just_ attracted to your appearance."

_And yet I still cannot believe you see all that in me._ If she had been _anyone_ else, he would have ignored it as empty flattery. From her, it was anything but, and he knew he was wrong to doubt her sincerity.

The silence that followed as they gazed at each other was tense, but it was a different kind of tension that was far more _intriguing_. Aniya finally broke it with a polite cough.

"I…should probably go. If Mother's still awake, I owe her a few things, not the least of which is an apology. And…an explanation."

"Probably." Fenris nodded. "I think I might see if the usual suspects are still at it at the Hanged Man. I'm feeling rather fortunate at the moment."

Aniya smiled, still blushing slightly, and nodded a farewell. She walked backwards until she reached the door, then turned and left.


	4. Prompt: Ale and Wine

**Prompt: Ale and Wine**

_Fenris' Mansion_

_9:32 Dragon_

"You have no idea how glad I am to find someone who at least accepts that I don't really like ale, Fenris." Aniya grinned at him over the rim of one of the glasses she'd brought in not too long ago. "It spares me a lot of questions, mutters, and stares."

"Is there some particular reason you don't like it?" He regarded her curiously, and then cleared his throat. "Of course, that _would_ require an explanation if you're willing to give it."

He chuckled in amusement. In the months since he'd hired her through Anso, he'd come to appreciate her sense of humor. He also noted that she seemed to take a genuine interest in how he was adapting to Kirkwall, and she didn't seem to share details of what he'd told her outside of their conversations. Hawke didn't seem to have any problems with his past either. The only way it came up was if he mentioned it, and then it never failed to be a challenging and, in the end, philosophical conversation. He didn't remember ever having someone that he could just speak with, and her perspectives as someone who had never been a captive or a slave gave him plenty of food for thought. He was starting to wonder if he could consider Hawke a friend, the first he really had in Kirkwall, or really, anywhere since the Fog Warriors.

He quickly willed _that_ topic from his mind before he could dwell on it too much.

Aniya rolled her eyes at him in mock disgust. "_Fine_. Just this _once_." She laughed and considered for a moment. "You do realize this is one of the more embarrassing stories of my life, right?"

"If you'd rather not – "

"It's all right," she laughed. "We were all young and foolish once. Well, maybe _you_ don't recall being foolish, but the rest of us were." She winked. "Let's put it this way. When you have a camp full of army recruits fresh out of fairly restrictive homes, away from their parents' watchful eyes for the first time, and around prodigious quantities of ale, some things are bound to happen."

"I see."

"Yes. Let's say that my first time completely overdoing it with ale, engaging in some horrible decision making that I only _just_ remember, and paying for it with the worst hangover I've had to this day taught me a few things. Not the least of which is I _hate_ the taste of ale." She laughed, but she wasn't able to keep some regret and self-reproach out of her voice.

"So that explains your low bar tab at the Hanged Man? The one Varric seems to _love_ to bring up?" He asked.

"Something like that. The very taste of ale makes me want to retch, their whiskey is undrinkable unless the _point_ is to get drunk, and that leaves the mead, the cider, or nothing. I also know, to my chagrin, that I get stupid when I drink, so I don't make a habit of it except around people I trust. That pretty much limits me to a mug of mead or two a night, if that." Aniya finished the glass she had and poured herself a couple fingers' worth more. She got a distant look and didn't continue. Fenris frowned at her, then decided to trust the insights he'd learned from being around her.

"Do you want to talk about it, Hawke?" From all the times she'd just listened to him go on about his life as a slave, he figured he owed her that much. He was also more curious than he really should have been.

_Varric must be rubbing off on me._

Aniya rubbed the bridge of her nose, apparently embarrassed.

_Maker. Now you've done it, Aniya. Maybe I've had too much _wine_, too_.

"If you're really interested in the sordid details of my foolishness." She sighed.

"You said yesterday that our choices make us who we are, Hawke. You seem to have done well enough despite any past decisions of yours. Perhaps it taught you something?"

Aniya blinked at him.

"Oh _fine_, use my own logic against me, O wise one. You win." She smiled, not her usual dry grin but more of a bemused surrender of the point. She settled more comfortably into her seat.

"I got extremely drunk, just like everyone else, when we were celebrating the end of basic training. This was a gathering of very drunk youngsters more than ready to do whatever their bodies were telling them to do with whomever they wanted to do it with. I did that too, with someone I never would have _remotely_ considered while sober." Aniya shuddered.

"Not forced, though?"

"Oh no. That decision was entirely mine, and it was a bad one. He was a complete ass and an ugly brute, but he looked great when viewed through ale-colored eyes. I was just lucky nothing ah… came of it. It did teach me the importance of not making any major decisions when you are so drunk you can barely walk. Actually not liking ale is just a side effect. The taste of it reminds me of that night, which I'd rather forget."

"That doesn't sound as bad as it could have been." He was considering what he'd seen in Tevinter, but at the flash of annoyance in her eyes, he realized he'd hit a nerve regardless.

"Maybe not to you, but when it's your first time, and you're taught all your life that that's a Big Deal, it sure _seems _like it. Not only that, but it took a long time before I was willing to even _consider_ the idea again. At least then, it was with someone I truly cared about, and _that_ made all the difference. It also made me very picky about …ah." She cleared her throat and blushed furiously.

"Aaaaand now I've told you far more than you wanted to know."

As Fenris considered what to say, Aniya thought she saw something in those green eyes that might have been a flash of interest that went beyond pure curiosity.

_Or I could be imagining it, although I can't say I'd object!_ She surprised herself with her own reaction to that idea.


	5. SiaLater's Prompt :

_**Author's note**__: I requested topics from the BSN Fenris thread because my Dragon Age muse had left the building. They provided me with a few topics, which I'm posting as one-offs for now. These may or may not make it into "Common Ground", but if they are changed, I'll mention it when I reach Act II._

_As always, Dragon Age and all its characters are Bioware's. Aniya's just my take on Hawke._

_**Kirkwall; 9:34 Dragon.**_

Aniya shook her head as she watched Bodhan go. The dwarf took his new 'duties', as self-assigned as they were, very seriously. While she couldn't fault his enthusiasm, having him as a voluntary servant still made her vaguely uncomfortable.

_He did offer to do this. I just…after getting to know Fenris, the idea of having anyone under my roof doing work and not collecting pay for it makes my skin crawl. _

Still, he insisted he was paying a debt to her and had refused to accept any payment she'd offered besides housing him and his son. She'd given up the argument eventually, but she was still trying to come up with something he'd accept. As long as Sandal seemed happy, and he seemed to be, Bodhan seemed content. Maybe that was the angle…

_The angle…right. I have bigger problems right now, and so does Kirkwall, apparently._

Aniya sighed. The situation with the Qunari was going nowhere. She was frustrated with the Viscount for not taking matters more assertively into his own hands. That was part of Kirkwall's problem, in Aniya's opinion; the people who were seizing power weren't the ones who should have it, and the ones who _should_ didn't do a damn thing with it.

_No, of course not. That's where people like me come in. People who were in the right place at the right time, with the right companions and talents and who are disposable enough to be used in a gambit._

By sheer luck, the first time Aniya had visited the Qunari compound and spoken with the Arishok, Fenris had been with her, and he hadn't hesitated to step in and display knowledge of the Qun that Aniya had no idea he possessed. _Because_ Fenris had been there, the potential mess that Javaris Tintop could have been made got handled smoothly and led to no harm for Kirkwall itself. Fenris' input had the added bonus of making Javaris squirm. Death threats tended to do that, and Aniya had been willing to consider knifing the dwarf herself after he put them in such an awkward position. That much must have been clear; the Arishok had declined, and, while he dismissed Aniya's party as well, it was clear he'd been far more impressed by Aniya and Fenris than he had been by any other 'natives' he had dealt with so far.

Aniya had spent so much time musing on things that she'd arrived at Fenris's mansion in what seemed like no time at all. She slipped inside the door without a thought. He'd made it plain enough that Aniya was welcome if she chose to visit, so she no longer stood on ceremony. Still, she didn't bother to try to hide her footfalls on the stairs. As she neared the top of the stairs, though, she realized he had another visitor.

"So the seneschal's tax collector won't be coming around again, like you asked. Funny story."

_Isabela. I can only imagine – _Something about the pirate's voice made Aniya vaguely irritated.

"I'll…pass, but thank you for the help."

Fenris glanced up and saw Aniya reach the top of the stairs, and nodded at her. Isabela, who either missed the nod or chose to ignore it, continued on.

"Spoilsport. Why you want to squat up here in Hightown is beyond me."

_Relax, Aniya. Isabela always sounds like that and to pretty much everyone who catches her eye. And that's most people._

This was easier said than done. Aniya stepped into full view of the doorway, and Isabela's quick sidelong glance said she knew Aniya was there.

"I like the view," Fenris replied.

Isabela stood up, and struck a very deliberate _pose_, one Aniya had seen a hundred times on many different women, and it was one she'd used once or twice herself. It meant the same thing, no matter who used it.

"So do I."

With that, she turned, and looked Aniya full in the face as she walked towards her. The pirate gave Aniya a sultry look as well, and winked at her as she sidled out. For a brief moment, outrage boiled to the surface, and then Aniya got control of herself.

_Stop it. You're just giving her what she wants, and you _know_ she loves doing this. _

Still, for an instant, Aniya entertained the very tempting thought of wiping that sultry smirk off of the beautiful Rivani's face.

* * *

><p>Fenris had been surprised to see Isabela show up that morning. He'd only mentioned the tax collector in passing a night or two ago at the Hanged Man, and truthfully, he hadn't expected <em>her<em> help with the situation.

The implications were clear; she didn't need to tell him. He waved off her explanation and spotted Hawke, who had just arrived at the top of the stairs.

_I had not been expecting to see _her_ here this early either. _

He knew that Aniya had caught the attention of the Viscount and that he'd summoned her to an audience. He also knew that Aniya had an idea of the coming days' significance for him. To be honest, he'd been almost hoping to have someone to speak to about it, and Hawke was really the only person he trusted with it.

Without thinking, he'd nodded at her in invitation. It was then that he noticed Isabela's comment about squatting in Hightown. He said the first thing that came to mind. It was, after all, at least marginally true.

"I like the view."

The look Isabela gave him when she got up, along with her tone of voice, was obvious enough. He'd seen this a hundred times in Tevinter and elsewhere. A confident, attractive woman with a certain penchant for danger would turn heads. Many of them knew it, and didn't hesitate to take a certain pride in that ability. With Isabela, it was elevated to an art form. It didn't really surprise him that she turned her attentions to him, but he also knew that this wasn't an exclusive invitation. He didn't trust her enough to consider accepting such an invitation either, at least not currently. Whether he ever would remained to be seen.

What _did_ surprise him was Hawke's reaction. The changes in her body language and expression were subtle, but he'd learned to read her a bit since he'd met her. Doing mercenary work and exploring the Deep Roads had made that a necessity, but in simply getting to know her, he'd learned quite a bit more than he would simply by observing her fighting style and attitudes. What he read was very interesting.

Hawke was irritated, bordering on angry. At Isabela's rather obvious flirtation, something very fierce had shown in Aniya's eyes before she mastered it.

_This isn't like you, Hawke..._

Fenris was several things, but a fool was not one of them.

* * *

><p>Aniya put Isabela out of her mind as she took a seat at Fenris's invitation. The elf looked a little distracted, and she raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.<p>

"What is it?"

Fenris shifted a little in his own chair and looked off, almost meditatively.

"Three years…and still no sign of Danarius. I'm beginning to wonder if he's finally given up."

Aniya frowned, puzzled.

"This is his mansion, isn't it? He must know you're here."

Fenris shook his head in ironic amusement and explained how the mansion actually didn't belong to Danarius at all.

_He's right – at least this somewhat explains why Danarius hasn't tried to do something to him here._

Aniya went as far as suggesting trying to hunt him down, and offered to help, but Fenris shook his head. The conversation took a surprisingly more philosophical turn then.

"Tell me, what do you do when you stop running?"

_That one I know from experience…_

"You start a new life. Isn't that what you wanted?" Aniya cocked her head curiously at him.

"I don't know how." Fenris commented that his first memories were of receiving his markings, and it became clear that his past was keeping Fenris from really facing this particular question head-on. As Aniya worked through that, Fenris got up and half walked away from her.

"I shouldn't burden you with this. My problems are not yours."

Aniya hesitated, and then threw caution to the wind.

_Void take it. If Isabela is even trying to get his attention…_

* * *

><p>Fenris was half ashamed of himself for placing his own worries on Hawke. He truly hadn't meant to burden the woman with his problems. He expected some denial of concern on her part, but he didn't expect the answer he actually got.<p>

"I might be able to help with your problems, or give you a few more."

_Well. That was unexpected_. It might have been flirtatious, but the fact that Aniya had always been honest with him in the past pulled him up short. While he was able to chuckle and respond, he appraised her carefully as he did so.

"Only a few?"

Something in how he'd said it definitely seemed to encourage her.

"The good kind." Aniya gave him that amused smile that he'd come to expect out of her, but her eyes conveyed a more serious intent.

It struck him then that Aniya was, in her way, as interestingly unusual to him in appearance as Isabela was. Most Fereldens he'd seen were drab, downtrodden creatures much like the Alienage's elves. This wasn't the case for Hawke. Her boldly auburn hair was definitely different than most, and the depth of her dark brown eyes conveyed things differently than the hazel or blue eyes most Fereldens, and Kirkwallers for that matter, possessed. The curving red tattoos on her face only added to that air; they clung perfectly to her cheekbones and gave her face a certain appeal that was as exotic as Isabela's swarthy Rivaini skin and large, dark eyes. It took a certain kind of bold confidence to voluntarily wear tattoos that distinctive with the attitude to back them up.

_My thrice-damned markings taught me that. Still, does she truly not realize that she turns heads as surely as Isabela does?_ _Perhaps more so, because she doesn't imply that she's readily ah…available?_

It didn't seem possible, but it didn't take away from the sincerity of his response.

* * *

><p>Fenris's eyes caught Aniya's and held them as he responded to her almost reckless flirtation. Aniya found herself holding her breath slightly at that look; it wasn't the first time he'd had that effect on her.<p>

"Tempting. You're a beautiful woman, Hawke. Is there no one else who has your…attention?"

_Maker, no. And I'm not looking to change that._ Fortunately, her actual reply was far more collected, and she was able to hopefully put some sincere charm into it.

"Do you see anyone else here?" She smiled up at him, but he countered with another question.

"I'm an escaped slave, and an elf, living in a borrowed mansion. None of those things bother you?"

_Fenris…_

"And I'm a refugee, a _Ferelden_ one, as well as a human. Does that bother _you_?"

She was greatly encouraged by his response to that.

"You have me there." After a pause, he continued. "You raise an interesting point. I will have to…consider it."

"Consider away." Aniya gave him her best smile, one that lit her eyes as well. It apparently worked.

Aniya paused a moment to let that sink in, and then coughed politely.

"I actually came here to discuss something else with you, but this was far more welcome than discussing the Qunari. That's _far_ from a complaint, mind you, but do you have a moment more?"

Fenris was more than willing to accompany her to see the Arishok, which was exciting in his own way.

_Hearing him speak Qunari was … thrilling, really, and not just because he shocked me out of my boots that day._

_Take that, Isabela. _It was a childish thought, but it was a very satisfying one.


End file.
